Cheap Flights to Germany

Travellers have more than 50 airports to touch down in with Frankfurt Airport (FRA) being Germany’s major international airport and third busiest in Europe, often offering cheap flights to and from Germany itself. South Africans have 20 non-stop weekly flights from Johannesburg to Germany with airlines that include among others SAA, Qatar, Etihad, British Airways, and Alitalia.

Germany has a stunning array of natural beauty in forests, mountain ranges and rivers, a wealth of attractions and over 10,000 festivals. The capital city Berlin thrives in art and nightlife and is home to sites related to WWII. Munich is well known for its Oktoberfest and beer halls. Germanys financial hub, filled with skyscrapers is Frankfurt. Hamburg, in northern Germany, is a major port city connected to the North Sea by the Elbe River, crossed by hundreds of canals it comprises large parkland areas and is home to the red-light district, the Reeperbahn.

Weather In Germany

Germany’s climate
All through Germany a temperate climate is experienced with warm summers, cold winters and rainfall throughout the year. Long periods of snow and frost are uncommon. January averages monthly temperatures of around 3°C while July reaches 22°C. During winter extreme temperatures occasionally reach -10 °C and 35 °C in summer.

When to fly to Germany
Summer from May to October is the best time for visiting Germany although Munich experiences a heavier rainfall during this period with Berlin and Frankfurt being generally warmer.

Winter, from December to February, has fewer crowds, except for December, when the country’s in full swing with traditional Christmas markets drawing thousands from all over the world.

Accommodation and airfare fare prices start rising towards the end of November, dropping significantly during January and February.

Getting around Germany
Germany’s transport network is outstanding and well-maintained.

Buses are virtually in every town and numerous rural areas with larger cities having more than one bus operator and some offering night services. Bus stops throughout Germany are marked by a round green and yellow sign with an H.

The majority of medium to large cities comprise tram systems or streetcars that are fairly frequent and in some areas, run underground. Signage is the same as for buses.

Light rail systems known as Stadtbahn exist in the Ruhr region and several cities. Faster than streetcars, they serve the central city and outskirts. On the front of the train is a U followed by a number.

A few of the larger cities have a fully-fledged U-Bahn (underground subway) where service is frequent, just 5 to15 minutes during off-peak periods.

Operated by GermanRail the S-Bahn is a superb express suburban train system that services the largest metropolitan areas and runs mostly above ground from the city centre to the suburbs. S-Bahn trains are marked with an S sign in the above left corner.

In addition to the above, theres the Zahnradbahn (cog railway), the Seilbahn (cable-car), the H-Bahn/Hochbahn (elevated train) and the R-Bahn, a regional train for longer distance commuter travel reaching outlying areas of major cities.

Germany has over 50,000 taxis, cream in colour with a black and yellow taxi sign on the roof. You can order a taxi by phone or find one at a taxi stand, many of which are located at stations, airports, large hotels and shopping areas.

Many visitors hire rental vehicles as driving is a pleasure in Germany with its well maintained roads and the worlds most well-known highway the Autobahn.

Germany – insider information

When in Munich visit the 16th century Hofbrähaus.

Hamburg alone has 50 museums, 21 nature parks, five cathedrals and churches, two zoos and aquariums, loads of outdoor activities and an abundance of nightlife venues.

A visit to Nuremberg provides insight to the birthplace of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations, the Third Reich Empire and a tour of the historic old town.

Built by King Ludwig II, Neuschwanstein Castle in southern Bavaria is one of the most photographed sights in Germany with its tale of romance and tragedy.

300 feet above the city is the famous Heidelberg Castle that opened in 1214 and draws millions of visitors annually.

Hohenzollern Castle in Bisingen, built between 1846 and 1867, is the ancestral seat of the imperial House of Hohenzollern, first mentioned in 1061.

Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin still reflects the grandeur of the Hohenzollern family that ruled from 1415 to 1918. Berlin in April hosts The Wyld with over 100 artists on one stage, its one of the most convoluted shows outside Vegas while May offers Carnival of Cultures, Gallery Weekend and Biennale plus more!